A New Face In Our Family
by anreg
Summary: Tokio reflects on family and Hajime.


Standard disclaimers apply.

**A New Face In Our Family**

Hajime. Japan is his mistress. He is as devoted to her as he is to me. He will do anything to protect her. He would do anything to protect me. That's why many do not know he has a wife. To protect me. And they are always so surprised when they find out he is married.

He would love Japan and be devoted to her, regardless. But there is more. There is the future and making that future a secure and peaceful place for the children. Our children and all children. They are Japan's future.

We have one, with our second expected in the fall. I truly hope that Hajime will be at home then, but I can and will manage without him, if need be. But I know that he would want to be here. To see new life being born. To see new life from us.

I think it will be a boy, again. Hajime needs to raise boys. Boys to be the future protectors of his first love, Japan.

Now there is even another. Hajime brought him here on his way to Kyoto. His whole family was slaughtered, so he is alone. He has no one. His older brother was one of Hajime's men. One of his most trusted and faithful. One he could rely on.

That is why Hajime brought him here. Because he is loyal to those who serve him. How could he not bring the boy here?

I do not know if I can truly be a mother to this boy. He has lost so much. But I will try.

I think that our little children will help him adjust to our family. They will help distract him from his thoughts and with time give him a new focus. It will take time.

But there will always be a hollow place within him. I know. I have one, too.

My younger sister. She did not survive childhood. I sometimes wonder what it would be like to have her here now. To have her here to share my thoughts and feelings. About family and future, sadness and hope. But that was not to be and I don't let the thoughts of what might have been occupy more than a fleeting moment in my mind. For it is the here and now that is most important. I do not dwell on what might have been. I think of the here and now.

Tsutomu is so happy to have an older playmate to help him occupy his time. I am happy for this, too, because I tire more easily these days. With Hajime away for so long this time, it is very good to have some help with the heavier chores. Eiji has not been here long, but he seems to know how much I appreciate having him here and how important he has become to Tsutomu.

I hear the boys playing in the yard. Their laughter floats through the open door and into the house like a special music being carried by a breeze. I cannot help but smile. Soon there will be a third voice to join theirs.

Author's Notes:

The real-life Saitou Hajime and Takagi Tokio married in 1874. Their marriage lasted until 1915, when he died. She died in 1921.

The events in the manga, surrounding the Shishio Makoto affair, occur in Meiji 11 – 1878. By that time the real couple had been married for about 4 years and had one child, Tsutomu born December 15, 1876. Their second child, Tsuyoshi, was born October 4, 1879. For the purpose of this fic I am taking "poetic license" with history and pretending that Yoshi was born a year earlier in Meiji 11.

According to the manga, the Shishio affair began in mid May and was concluded by early summer. Vol. 7 Part 57 says that Kenshin became a vagabond again, May 14, Meiji 11. That was the day he left for Kyoto. In Vol. 18 Part 151 Kenshin has returned to the dojo in Tokyo "after three months of being a vagabond". This includes a month recuperating in Kyoto, while the Aoiya was being rebuilt. These events took place before the fall of the year, so Yoshi, who was born in October, is still "in the oven" at the time of the fic.

Using the above manga references, it appears that the Shishio affair took about two months to complete from the time everyone left Tokyo for Kyoto in mid May. So, Saitou was gone from home for quite a long time.

Tokio had a younger sister, Tami. It is speculated that she died in childhood.

Historical information is from the Shinsengumi Headquarters website.

The manga translation was posted on the internet by Maigo-chan.


End file.
